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Application Process

The Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest (first awarded in 1902) international scholarship programme, enabling outstanding young people from around the world to study at the University of Oxford.

Southern Africa

You can use the Eligibility Checker below to find out if you are eligible for the Rhodes Scholarship for this constituency.

The ‘Your Constituency’ box will have been automatically completed for you based on the country you selected on the previous page. You should then answer 'Yes' or 'No' to each of the eligibility questions. Once you have answered each question please click continue to find out if you are eligible and what to do next!

Step 1 / 5

Your Constituency

Southern Africa (inc. South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and eSwatini)

Step 2 / 5

Your Nationality or citizenship

Are you a citizen or legal permanent resident of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia or eSwatini?

Applications from refugees/asylum seekers in South Africa will also be considered in this constituency.

Inter-jurisdictional Scholarship

If you have a strong connection to two or more Rhodes constituencies, but don't meet the Nationality or Citizenship criteria, you may be able to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship via Inter-Jurisdictional Consideration. To find out more please visit our page here.

If you have read our information page about Inter-Jurisdictional Consideration and meet the requirements, please choose 'Yes' below. If you don't, click 'No'.

Step 3 / 5

Your Education / residency

Have you been resident in South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia or eSwatini for at least five of the last ten years?

Inter-jurisdictional Scholarship

If you have a strong connection to two or more Rhodes constituencies, but don't meet the Education/Residency criteria, you may still be able to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship via Inter-Jurisdictional Consideration. To find out more please visit our page here.

If you have read our information page about Inter-Jurisdictional Consideration and meet the requirements, please choose 'Yes' below. If you don't, click 'No'.

Step 4 / 5

Your Age Criteria

Do you meet either of the below criteria?

(i) Upon entry to Oxford on 01 October 2025, you must be at least 19 years old and not have passed your 25th birthday (which means you must have been born after 01 October 2000 and on or before 01 October 2006).  OR

(ii) For older candidates who will have passed their 25th birthday on 01 October 2025, and completed their first undergraduate degree later than usual: 

  • Candidates must have completed their first undergraduate degree within the last 2 years, i.e. after 1 October 2023*; and 
  • may not have passed their 28th birthday on 01 October 2025 (which means they must have been born after 01 October 1997). OR

(iii) For candidates who are MBBCh or an MBChB graduates, and required to complete their compulsory internship and/or community service: 

  • Candidates may not have passed their 28th birthday on 01 October 2025 (which means they must have been born after 01 October 1997). 
  • Candidates should apply either during their second year of internship, or during their community service year, provided that they meet the age requirement above.  
  • Candidates that can apply in their community service year (without breaching the age requirement in above) are encouraged to do so.  OR

(iv) Other health sciences graduates in order to complete any compulsory internship and/or community service: 

  • Candidates who have completed the necessary health sciences degrees for admission to, and intend to be admitted to any registered health profession that requires the completion of any compulsory internship and/or community service, should write to the Rhodes Scholarship National Secretariat to seek exemption to allow them to apply in their internship or community service year, provided that they will not have passed their 28th birthday on 01 October 2025 (which means they must have been born after 01 October 1997), and if: 
  • they cannot be accommodated under part iii above; and  
  • they are in a similar position to medical students given that, even if there are no delays or breaks in or between the completion of their compulsory university studies, internship and/or community service, they would not be able to be accommodated either under the general age limit or part ii above. 

* A university's policy determines the date of completion of academic requirement for a degree and this may be different from when a degree is considered awarded by the university or the date of a graduation ceremony. In ambiguous cases, the decision of the National Secretary is final. 

Step 5 / 5

Your Academic Achievement

Have you already completed, or will have completed by July 2025, an undergraduate degree (normally a Bachelor’s degree) with an academic background and grade that - at a minimum - meets or exceeds the specific entry requirements of your chosen full-time course at the University of Oxford?

Given the very intense international competition for places at the University of Oxford, candidates will have a greater chance of successful admission to Oxford if they have:

• A First Class Honours Degree or equivalent, OR,
• A GPA of 3.70/4.0 or higher, OR,
• an Honours degree (or have taken an Honours year) from a University outside of your country OR if you have studied to Masters level within your country (with the exception of those studying in South Africa and Namibia, and for some countries, those studying medicine). Candidates may wish to consider applying to the Rhodes Trust’s sister foundation, The Mandela Rhodes Foundation, to pursue an Honour’s year or a Master’s degree prior to making an application for the Rhodes Scholarship.

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